Shoe heater



May 29, 1928.

W. H. BAYNARD SHOE HEATER Filed Aug. 19. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet s W 1 J May 29, 1928. 1,671,142

w. H. BAY NARD SHOE HEATER Patented May 29, 1928.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. BAYNARD, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOIR TO HARRY H.

BEGKWITH, OF BROOKLINE; MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE HEATER.

Application filed. August 19, 1922. Serial No. 582,942.

This invention relates to shoe heaters having been more particularly designed to facilitate the incorporation in the shoe of a counter made of material stiff and hard at ordinary atmospheric temperature but which becomes soft and pliable when subjected to heat or heat and moisture such as those made of fibrous material impregnated with asp'haltic or suitable thermoplastic compounds. Such counters when assembled between the upper and lining of the shoe are half molded or bent laterally to conform roughly to the sides and heel end of the lasts. It is then necessary to form the counter closely to the last and to bend the lower edge or heel seat flange which, as assembled, projects below the lower edge of the last, over against the bottom face of the insole as the upper and lining are drawn thereover and made fast thereto in the lasting operation.

The present invention, therefore, provides a construction whereby the assembled shoe may be supported sole downward in position to have directed against the lower face of the heel adjacent its margin, currents of hot vapor or steam. The steam or vapor then act-s very directly on the edge or flange of the counter which projects below the last and which is to be bent against the lower face of the insole and softens it so that it may be readily bent to the required shape.

he counter above this edge is acted on to a less extent by the steam or vapor ciently to cause it to soften to permit it to be conformed to the shape of the lastas the upper and lining are drawn thereover in the lasting operation. By the use of moist heat the leather of the upperacted on therebyis put in temper and is rendered more wornable during the lasting operation.

For a more complete understanding. of this invention, together with further objects and advantageous details and combinations of parts, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof inwhich Figure 1 is an end elevation partly broken awayof the heel heater showing in dotted lines the position of an assembled shoe thereon. 1.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detailshowing a connection from this heater to a toe heater by which the heel heater may be supported.

Figure 3 is a top plan of the heater.

Figure 1 is a detail section on line 1- 1 of be treated, as is indicated in FigureZ-S. but sulii lindrical passage 12 Figure 1 showing the manner of mounting a heating element.

Figure 5 is a plan of another form of heating element.

Figure 6 is a detail in perspective,

Referring to Figures 1 and 3 the heater comprises a platform 1 having amarginal upstanding flange 2 extending about three sides thereof sure to receive the heel end of an assembled shoe. "The last 3 of the assembled shoe should be supported somewhat above the upper face of the platform 1 in order to permit the upper and counter to project therebelow. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 1 in which the counter is indicated at 1, the upper at 5 and the lining at 6, the counter being placed between the upper and lining in the usual manner. For supporting the heel in this position, a rest or support with which the last or lower face of the insole may be engaged is indicated at 7 and as shown comprises acap bolt and forming a partialenclowhich is threaded through the platform 1,

its head serving as the desired support for the last. While a platform 1 may be made individually to support a single assembled shoe, it may be desirable in many cases to form it in a series with other similar platforms in a single unitto receive simultaneously a plurality ofassembled shoesto As therein shown the platforms 1 betwcenthe flanges 2 of the several' unlts are connected by means of webs 8 which may, if desired,.be substantially continuations of the platforms 1. 1

The platforms 1 form the upper face of a receptacle havingdownwardly and inwardly-inclined walls 10, 11 which may be formed integral therewith and at their lower endsare shaped to form a substantially cyextending laterally of the platforms 1 and longitudinally of the heater beneath the entire series. This cy lindrical passage 12 is formed to receive a heating unit, one form of which is shown in detail in Figure 1. Referring to this figure, at 15 is shown a tube which passes through openings 16 intend walls 17., uniting the walls 10 and 11 and extends through the cylindrical portion 12. Each end of the tube 15 has inserted therein a plug 18 having a central bore 19 and a flange 20 at one end. This flange 20 is arranged to be seated against the outer face of the Wall 17 and the plug is expanded into clamping relation with the tube 16 "by means eta tapered pin 21 which is driven into a tapered opening 22 .intelzmedi-ate the .end Oif .a slot :23 extending from the bore 19 to the iperipheryiof the plug.

Positioned Within the'bore 19 is shown-an electric heating unit 24; having radiating fins 25 thereon whichextend toward the Walls of the tube 15 This unit 24; is provided with end flanges of the plugs so that when the plugs arelfixed in positioirthe unit is also lixedflvithin the tube 15. At one end Off the unit fixed an electrical conductor 29 andat the other end is fixed a similar conductor :30. For convenience in making electrical connections the conductor30 may passed through a pipe 31 extending between the end alls 17 of the heater beneath the cylindrical portion 12.

This cylindrical portion has a pas'sage 35 extendln from its lower nortlon out throu h 1: i up the rear Wall 11 where t C011118Cl3S*W1l1l1t pipeht-tlng 36to which may be attached a flexible pipe 'l'i by which water maybe 1n- .troduced into the portion "12 surroundin the tube '15 in position to be heated by the "heat ing unit; As shown the pipe fitting 8 6 is clamped against theheaterby means of a dog (if) made fast a thumb screw 46 to one face or the sup ort. The steam produced passes upwar 1y into the space directly beneath the platforms and is permitted-to pass through these platformsland into contact With the bottom face o'fthe shoe in position to act quite directly on the pertions of the counter, lining and upper, ex-

tendingvbelowthe bottom face of the insole so that they may be heated and the counter softened toppermit it to be drawn about the made fast thereto in thesubsequentjlasting operation. "For the purposefof' .directin the vapor in the proper manner against e shoe Icurvedslots or, perforations throughthe platforms 1 areshown between the last support 7tand the marginal flange 2.

'The mechanism thus described may be supported in any suitable manner-,but as shown is intended to be coupled with a toe heater of any suitable description. As various sizes of shoes are Worked uponit is desirable that the distance betweenthe toe and heel heaters shall be adjust-able. I i

- one manner of supporting the'he'el heater from the toe heater with capability ofsuch adjustment is shown in F igureslfZfand ,3 which a pair of rack bars 5Q made :fast to the base portion of theheel heater extend beheath a portion 51 (see'Figure 2) of the toe heater and overa supporting rod 5 2journaled in one end of a hanger '53 suspended from theportion 51 of the toe heater by means of afhook 54 and a link I55. here 27 overlying theends carried by said toe heate r, a support by said hangers, raekbarss 1 E may ibe moved in and out :toflposition the heel heater at the required various distances from the toe heater, the heel heater being suspended from the toe heater by means of the construction above described. It will be noted that the heel heating means is inde enden of th t heating The C uct-0 5 29 and zl abet referred m y re' s bs-ethe jwitl' n a u conduitet), as shown'in "Eignre Land 4 pa f th e i z te fanj ib @QImeQte It is so desired. y a n a i he h at g elemen fixed -W1 in th be 1 .th l eat ng mii-vshqwn in i tis .u I 11-33 the lead ng in W res tor the latter heater it ure 5 maybe employed'whichgconiprisesf'a i hea ng lement efi t al ed -U sh pe and connected to the ends of this member and ,Hav ng thu described a e beiiimnt f h e t shouldib 'levident tha l'm' y a ge l od fieationl ini h ibe made therein Without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the pp nded cla mso Tclaim: o

1. In m at e a t e ter, han e s da lfied said "hangers, bars slidablef-jon said P 1 he heater ar ie y said bar and 64 o S d g Sai hex- 0 adins a'bly spacesaidheaters; I com i at on, we heateaban carried by said toe'heatenasu port support a shaft journal ed ingsaid and having pin on port ons rneshing' w th the teeth of said rackbars, an d a heel' heater carried by saild bars whereby turning said shaft adjustablyspaees saidheaters.

A de ice of th las ese-ihedwmprising a P tform, a same e tendin ab ve the top o aid,pla ormenithic lie heel po t 9 t S0 iO sailf l le shoe may be supported,,andomeansftoneom u t ng vapor ithreag breathe in .s.

pla m agai s 31 119?? ti fl flo'f th shoe.

vie e of ama s described eempjriising a platform, a.

he l i ti e 9 a s emb d sheet app-9e in p ei' t d be ween sa d Tsippoe a marginal upstanding flange t e o shaped t partially ie eset flange, and a vapor generator beneath said platform and communicating with said perforations.

5. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a substantially cylindrical lower portion extending longitudinally thereof, a top for said casing comprismg a plurality of platforms ,on which may rest the heels of assembled shoes, said platforms having openings therethrough in position to direct vapor from said casing against the shoes, a heating element extending axially of said cylindrical portion, and means for introducing material to be vaporized into said cylindrical portion about Said element.

6. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a substantially cying a platform, an upwardly extending flange partially surrounding a portion of said platform and shaped to partially enclose the heel portion of an assembled shoe, a support for engaging the heel portion of the sole of the shoe extending upwardly from said platform and spaced from said flange to permit the marginal portion of the shoe upper extending below the shoe'sole to project into said space, said platform having openings therein between said support and flange, and means for directing vapor through said openings to contact with the heel portion of the shoe.

8. A device of the class described comprising a platform, an upwardly extending flange partially surrounding a portion of said platform and shaped to partially enclose the heel portion of an assembled shoe, a

support for engaging the heel portion of the sole of the shoe extending upwardly from said platform and spaced from said flange to permit the marginal portion of the 1 shoe upper extending below the shoe sole to project into said space, said platform having openings therein between said support and flange, and forming the upper face of a water receptacle, and a heating unit in said receptacle for vaporizing the water, the vapor reaching the shoe through said openings.

9. A device of the class described comprising a support for the heel end of an assem bled shoe constructed to enclose the heel seat portion of a counter stifl'ener and upper materials, said support having openings therethrough through which a treatlng agent may pass into contact with the inner face of the heel seat portion of the stiffener.

10. A device of the class described comprising a support forthe heel-end of an as sembled shoe constructed to enclose the heel seat port-ion of a counter stiffener and upper materials, said support forming the upper face of a receptacle and having openings therethrough through which a heated Vapor may pass into contact with said heel seat portion.

11. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle having a platform closing its upper end, said platform having a se ries of spaced flanges each shaped to partially enclose the heel end of an assembled shoe and provided with openings within the lines of said flanges through which a treating agent may pass from said receptacle into contact with the partially enclosed shoes.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

WILLIAM H. BAYNARD. 

